Closure dispenser for containers



July 14, 1964 w. MEHR v cEosuRE DISPENSER FOR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 17, 1961 INVENTOR.

July 14, 1964 w. MEHR cLosuEE DISPENSER FOR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OCl 17, 1961 .uri

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IN VEN TOR. WA z. TEK MEHR 19770 @ME75 United States Patent O 3,140,799 CLosURE DISPENSER FOR CONTAINERS Walter Mehr, 10s E. 66th sr., New York 21, N.Y. Filed oct. 17, 1961, ser. No. 145,573 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-131) This invention relates to a closure dispenser for a container and more particularly to a device which is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with a container for enabling the iluid contents of the container to` be poured therefrom without completely removing the device.

Various types of dispensing devices which are adapted to serve as closures for containers have been devised in the past. However, because of the desirability for sealing the container after a portion of the contents of the container has been dispensed, it is necessary to provide sealing means. Such sealing means are generally of the type which are immediately associated with the pouring spout or discharge aperture of the dispensing device and thereby permit a maximum amount of air to be trapped in the container which may adulterate or otherwise adversely affect the contents of the container or may change the temperature thereof. This container may be used for hot or cold beverages, or the like and changes in temperature may be undesirable. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure dispenser for containers that is provided with sealing means arranged so as to be immediately adjacent the portion of the container provided for receiving the contents and which is capable of being easily opened and closed.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a closure dispenser for containers that is adapted to function in conjunction with an insulated container so as to eifectively insulate the contents of the container.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a closurue dispenser for a container which utilizes an insulating air space about the threaded portions of the closure dispenser and the container so as to further aid in insulating the contents of the container.

Still further objects of this invention reside in the provision of a closure dispenser for containers that is simple in construction, easy to install, capable of being manufactured out of various readily available materials such as metal, plastics or the like, and which is easy to operate having incorporated in the construction thereof means for facilitating opening and closing the container.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent asl the following description proceeds, are attained by this closure dispenser for containers, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG, 1 is a side elevational view of a container having the closure dispenser associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a container with a closure dispenser associated therewith looking in a direction normal to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a-n enlarged partial vertical sectional view of the closure dispenser in association with a container;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 5 5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional View of the container illustrating the pouring spout and air intake conduit formed in the closure dispenser, and shown with the closure dispenser in a closed position; and

FIG. 7 is a View similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing the closure dispenser in an open position with the container tilted for pouring.

M' ICC With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate an illustrative embodiment of the present invention in which a container 12 is provided with a closure dispenser 14. The container 12 in this illustrative embodiment of the invention is of an insulated type having an outer wall 18, and an inner wall 20 spaced from outer wall 18 by peripheral air spaces 22 Which are preferably filled with fibre glass or other effective insulating material.

A shoulder 24 interconnects the inner wall 20 and the outer wall 18 at the upper portion of the container 12 and resting on the shoulder 24 is a sealing ring 26 formed of rubber, rubber-like synthetic plastic material, or the like. The outer wall 18 of the container 12 is extended upwardly and is internally threaded at 28. The internally threaded portion 30 of the container is of reduced thickness serving to define the shoulder 24.

The closure dispenser 14 is adapted to be seated on the sealing ring 26. The closure dispenser 14 includes a dish shaped member 32 provided with double wall bottom 34 having spaced walls 36 and 38 dening a closed space 40 therebetween in which insulating material such as breglass, glass wool, asbestos, or the like 42 is adapted to be positioned. The bottom 34 has a peripheral downwardly and outwardly extending sealing flange 44 which is adapted to press into the sealing ring 26 to form a iluid-tight seal for the contents 46 of the container 12. Integrally formed with the peripheral side walls 32 and extending substantially normal thereto is a top flange 48. Integral with the top flange 48 and depending therefrom is an outer wall 50 provided with an inwardly offset portion 52 dclning a top shoulder 54. The offset portion 52 is externally threaded at 56 and is adapted to be threadedly engaged with the internal threads 28 of the lower portion 30. The inwardly offset portion 52 is spaced outwardly from the peripheral side wall 32 and denes a chamber 58 therewith which is adapted to communicate with the interior of the container 12 when the sealing flange 44 is not in engagement with the sealing ring 26.

The offset portion 52 is provided with a peripheral groove 60 therein for reception of a sealing ring 62 adapted to engage the inner surface 64 of the portion 30. When the sealing ring 26 is engaged by the sealing flange 44, the contents 46 of the container will be securely maintained within the container 12.

Integrally formed with the top llange 481 and extending transversely of the closure dispenser 14 is a manipulating bar 70. The manipulating bar 70 is provided with openings 72 and 74 therein which are adapted to communicate with the chamber 58. The openings 72 and 74 are formed in the oppositely disposed ends of the bar and are formed with passageways defining a pouring spout and an atmospheric pressure relief conduit. This can be best seen in FIG. 7 wherein the passageway 72 is the pouring spout while the passageway 74 is the atmospheric pressure relief conduit.

In use, the container is filled by entirely removing the closure dispenser 14 from the container 12. Then the contents 46 are poured into the container. The container is closed and sealed by tightening down on the closure dispenser 14 until the sealing ilange 44 presses into the sealing ring 26 forming a seal against the contents 46 passing into the chamber 58. The bar 70 forms convenient means for grasping the closure dispenser 14 so as to provide adequate leverage to open the closure dispenser even though for the most part it is threadedly secured within the container 12. In addition, the bottom of the container 12 may be contoured to receive the upper portion of the bar 70 for facilitating stacking of the containers.

For intermittently dispensing the contents 46, the bar 70 is grasped and the closure dispenser 14 is rotated until the ange 44 is lifted of the sealing ring 26. Then, the fluid as shown in FIG. 7 may pass into the chamber 58 and out of the pouring spout 72. Air may pass into the chamber 58 and then through the pressure relief conduit 74 and thence into the container 12. As soon as the desired amount of contents have been removed from the container 12 by pouring therefrom, the closure dispenser 14 may be then moved into sealing relationship. The sealing ring 62 assures that the iluid contents 46 of the container can only pass through the pouring spout 72. It is to be noted that if the pouring spout 72 were tilted in the opposite direction from that shown in FIG. 7, the opening 74 would then function as 'the pouring spout while the opening 72 would function as the atmospheric pressure relief conduit,

A latitude of modication, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a container having insulated double walls and an upper cylindrical mouth portion having internal threading, with an inwardly-extending annular shoulder beneath said threading; a closure dispenser for said container comprising an integral body portion including a circular base section having a peripheral border registering with the inner border of said shoulder and being of less diameter than the inside of said mouth portion, a peripheral wall projecting upwardly from said base section and terminating in an outwardly directed flange, and a skirt wall coaxial with and depending from and spaced outwardly of said flange to a level above that of said peripheral border and delineating with said peripheral wall an annular conduit having an annular bottom opening, said annular conduit having at its upper end diametrically opposed openings defining a pouring spout and a vent opening respectively and said skirt having external threading engaging said mouth internal threading whereby said closure dispenser may be turned between a raised position in which said conduit is in communication with the interior of said container, and a lowered condition in which said base section peripheral border engages said annular shoulder to provide an insulated seal for the interior of the container.

2. The combination of claim` 1 wherein said base section comprises a pair of vertically spaced circular panels and a layer of insulating material housed between said circular panels, the lower of said panels being provided with a peripheral sealing lip dening said base section peripheral border.

3. The combination of claim l including a handle member extending diametrically across the upper border of said peripheral wall in alignment with said opposed openings and disposed above said base section.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a ring gasket entrapped between the lower external border of said skirt and said mouth portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hansen July 9, 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER HAVING INSULATED DOUBLE WALLS AND AN UPPER CYLINDRICAL MOUTH PORTION HAVING INTERNAL THREADING, WITH AN INWARDLY-EXTENDING ANNULAR SHOULDER BENEATH SAID THREADING; A CLOSURE DISPENSER FOR SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL BODY PORTION INCLUDING A CIRCULAR BASE SECTION HAVING A PERIPHERAL BORDER REGISTERING WITH THE INNER BORDER OF SAID SHOULDER AND BEING OF LESS DIAMETER THAN THE INSIDE OF SAID MOUTH PORTION, A PERIPHERAL WALL PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE SECTION AND TERMINATING IN AN OUTWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE, AND A SKIRT WALL COAXIAL WITH AND DEPENDING FROM AND SPACED OUTWARDLY OF SAID FLANGE TO A LEVEL ABOVE THAT OF SAID PERIPHERAL BORDER AND DELINEATING WITH SAID PERIPHERAL WALL AN ANNULAR CONDUIT HAVING AN ANNULAR BOTTOM OPENING, SAID ANNULAR CONDUIT HAVING AT ITS UPPER END DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED OPENINGS DEFINING A POURING SPOUT AND A VENT OPENING RESPECTIVELY AND SAID SKIRT HAVING EXTERNAL THREADING ENGAGING SAID MOUTH INTERNAL THREADING WHEREBY SAID CLOSURE DISPENSER MAY BE TURNED BETWEEN A RAISED POSITION IN WHICH SAID CONDUIT IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, AND A LOWERED CONDITION IN WHICH SAID BASE SECTION PERIPHERAL BORDER ENGAGES SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER PROVIDE AN INSULATE SEAL FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER. 